Aetiology
- Any cancer can metastasize to the brain but the most common tumours to do so are those arising from:
- Lung
- Breast
- Skin (melanoma)
- Kidney
Management
- Cerebral oedema surrounding the tumours responds to steroid therapy
- Many systemic therapies for the primary tumour do not cross the blood–brain barrier and therefore do not control brain metastases
- Management options include resection via neurosurgery, stereotactic radiotherapy and whole-brain radiotherapy